Spiked shoe sole



Aug. 23, 1949. TARLOW 2,479,793

SPIKED SHOE SOLE Filed March 23, 1948 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to spiked shoe soles and pertains more particularly to the manufacture of shoe soles equipped with removable golf spikes or other ground-gripping cleats, and designed to be built into sportsmens footwear.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a plate-reinforced outsole having spike receptacles applied to the reinforcing plate in such a manner that they are permanently secured against rotation and also against tilting relative to the sole, so that the shoe bottom remains flat and level during use and the receptacles are not displaced from normal position to cause loosening or discomfort to the wearer, despite the flexing of the sole when wet and the tilting pressure placed upon the receptacles when the spikes or cleats threaded therein become loosened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of inserting the receptacles in the sole reinforcing plate, whereby the receptacles are snap-locked in non-circular apertures of the plate so that they are firmly held against rotation and vertical or angular'displacement by such locking engagement, without strain on the leather outsole.

A further object is to produce a composite shoe sole having permanently fixed receptacles and removable spikes which may be firmly tightened and retightened or replaced, without displacing the receptacles, irrespective of the weakened or worn condition of the leather outsole.

Additional features and advantages of the improved spike sole and its method of manufacture will become apparent from the following description of the recommended embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the structural details of the composite sole herein described may be varied without departing from the essence of this invention as defined in the appended claims. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apertured metal plate for reinforcing the improved sole;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal section taken through one of the apertures of the reinforcing plate and showing a receptacle in position to be inserted into the aperture in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the receptacle inserted and locked in the plate aperture;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the complete sole, showing the plate and receptacle applied to a leather outsole and a golf 2 spike (in elevation) threaded into the receptacle; and

Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the receptacle.

In the particular embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration, the receptacle ll receives a conventional form of golf spike l2 having a shank l3 threading therein, but it will be understood that other types of golf spikes or other forms of ground-gripping cleats, having threaded shanks, may be optionally utilized in the improved sole; and that the word spike as used in this specification is intended to include cleats or calks of various types.

The receptacle II has the conventional threaded bore M in its sleeve or collar portion l5, and the conventional upper flange IE; but the ex terior of the sleeve is preferably formed with opposite, flat sides I! and rounded ends 18, and said ends are formed with oppositely disposed notches or recesses 19 located adjacent the flange Hi. The bottom edges of the receptacles are preferably rounded at 20.

The reinforcing plate 2| is preferably made of thin, flexible metal, such as spring steel, and is shaped to the contour of the forepart of the leather outsole to which it is to be applied. The plate has a plurality of elongate apertures or openings 22 of non-circular contour, having straight sides 23 corresponding to the sides ll of the receptacle sleeve and rounded ends 24 corresponding to the ends I8 of the receptacle sleeve. The openings or slots 22 may be cut or punched by a suitable die operating upon the upper side of the plate, so that any burrs formed by the die punch will be on the under side thereof, and when the grain of the metal extends longitudinally of the plate, as it usually does, the straight side edges 23 of the slots 22 follow the grain and extend parallel thereto.

The space between the ends 24 of the slots is appreciably less than the distance between the surfaces of the ends 18 of the receptacle sleeve, but not less than the distance between the back walls of the recesses l9 at the top of said sleeve; whereas the space between the sides 23 of the slots is approximately equal to the distance between the sides ll of the sleeve l5. Hence, a receptacle sleeve will not fit freely into a plate slot when the plate is fiat, but may be pressed therein when the plate is flexed to expand the slot lengthwise, or forced therein by a sharp blow on the flanged top of a receptacle applied to the flat plate so that the edges 24 at the ends of the slot engage in the respective recesses IS with a snap action, when the plate springs back to normally flat condition after insertion of the receptacle sleeve.

This operation may be performed by placing the plate slot over a relatively large opening of a bed block 26 or other support, positioning the receptacle over the slot, as shown in Fig. 2, and striking the flanged top of the receptacle a sharp blow with a hammer or other implement to flex the plate into the opening 25 and permit the receptacle sleeve to pass through the enlarged slot 22 until the edges 24 engage in the notches l9, as shown in Fig. 3, to lock the receptacle to the plate. The receptacle may also be applied by manually flexing the plate transversely of its grain to expand one or more Of its slots lengthwise, and then pressing the receptacle sleeve into the expanded slot. Release of flexing pressure will then cause the plate to snap into locking Position.

When so secured, the receptacle is permanently fastened against movement'relative to' the plate, for the straight, mutually engaged sides of the slot and sleeve effectively prevent relative rotation between the parts, and the receptacle is prevented from vertical or angular displacement by the locking engagement at the notches l9 and by the contact ofthe flange [6 on the top of the plate 2|.

The plate so equipped is then applied to the back or upper side of an outsole 21 of leather orv other suitable material, by pressing the receptacle sleeves into complemental openings of the sole, until the plate rests upon the sole, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The shanks or stems I3 of the spikes l2 are then threaded into the sockets of the sleeves l5, and tightened until the spike flange 28 grips the bottom surface of the sole, the thickness of which is preferably greater than the effective length of the receptacle sleeve, to allow for compression of the sole in tightening the spike. The spikes may be tightened to a greater extent than heretofore possible, without fear of rotating or tipping the receptacle or drawing it downwardly into the sole, whether the spikes are applied to a new sole or newly applied or retightened on an old, worn or weakened outsole.

The reinforcing plate 2! thus ensures that the sole will be maintained in a substantially level condition, and that the locked spikes will remain at right angles to the sole, affording a flat and comfortable shoe bottom and a firm and level stance for the golfer.

A spiked shoe sole constructed as herein described may be supplied to shoe manufacturers as a composite outsole for golf shoes, and may be built into the shoe in accordance with ordinary shoe-making methods. It will be appreciated that the margin of the sole 2? will extend beyond the edge of the reinforcing plate, so that said margin may be welted or otherwise stitched to the upper and insole in accordance with common practice. It will also be understood, however, that the improved composite sole may be produced as a step in a continuous process of shoe manufacture, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

It will be observed that neither the receptacle flange nor the spiked flange herein described are equipped with prongs or detents which extend into the surfaces of the outsole. Such prongs have heretofore been used in other constructions but are not necessary for the security or efficiency of the devices herein disclosed, and the elimina- 4 tion of the prongs simplifies the manufacture of the metal parts and enhances the flexibility of a shoe equipped with the improved composite sole.

I claim:

1. A composite spiked sole for shoes, comprising an outsole, a flexible plate applied to the upper surface of the outsole and having a slot therethrough, a receptacle having a sleeve portion extending through said slot and into said outsole and a flange bearing on the upper surface of said plate, and a spike threaded into said sleeve and engaging the bottom surface of said outsole, said sleeve portion having a transverse dimension greater than the corresponding dimension of said slot when the plate is substantially flat, and said sleeve having a recess in said dimension receiving aportion of said plate at an edge of said slot. tolock the receptacle to the plate.

' 2. A composite spikedsole for shoes, comprising an outsole, a flexible plate applied to the upper surface of the outsole and having a slot therethrougli, a receptacle having a sleeve portion extending through said slot' and into said outsole and a flange bearing on the upper surface of said plate, and a spike threaded into said sleeve and engaging the bottom surface of said outsole, said sleeve portion having a transverse dimension greater than the corresponding dimension of said slot when the plate is substantially flat, and said sleeve portion having a pair of oppositely disposed recesses in' said'dimension receiving portions of said plate at opposite e'dges'of said slot to lock the receptacle to the plate and prevent longitudinal or angular displacement ofthe receptacle with respect to the plate.

3. A composite spiked sole for shoes, comprising an outsole, aflexible plate applied to the upper surface of the outsole and having a slot therethrough, a receptacle having a sleeve portion extending through saidslot and into said outsole and a flange bearing on the upper surface of said plate," and a spik threaded into said sleeve and engaging the bottom surface of said outsole, said sleeve portion'having a transverse dimension greater than'the' corresponding dimension of said slotwhen the plate is substantially flat, said sleeve portion having a" recess in said dimension receiving a portion of said plate at an edge of said slot to lock the receptacle to the plate, and said sleeve portion and slot having complemental, mutually engaged, non-circular surfaces to restrain relative rotation between the receptacle and the plate.

4. A composite spiked sole for shoes, comprising an outsole, a flexible plate applied to the upper surface of, the outsole and having a slot therethrough, a'receptacle having a sleeve extending through said slot and into said outsole and a flange bearing on the upper surface of said plate, and-a spike threaded into said sleeve and engaging the bottom surface of said outsole, the sleeve having a transverse dimension greater than the corresponding dimension of said slot when the plate is substantiallyflat, said sleeve having a pair of oppositely disposed recesses in said dimension receiving portions of said plate at opposite edges of. said slot tolock the receptacle to the plate and prevent longitudinal or angular displacement of the receptacle with respect to the plate, and said sleeve and. slot having a pair of complemental, mutually engaged, non-circular surfaces, disposed between said recesses, to prevent relative rotation between the receptacle and the plate.

5. A composite. spiked sole adapted for incor- J poration in a shoe, comprising an outsole, a flexible metal plate applied to the upper surface of the outsole and having a slot therethrough, said slot having a pair of straight, parallel sides and a pair of rounded ends, a receptacle having a flange bearing on the upper surface of the plate and a depending sleeve extending through said slot and into said outsole, said sleeve having a pair of straight, parallel sides and a pair of rounded ends and the distance between said sleeve ends being greater than the space between said slot ends when the plate is substantially flat, the sleeve having a pair of recesses in its rounded ends and adjacent said flange receiving portions REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date ,651,572 Albee Dec. 6, 1927 2,309,783 Park Feb. 2, 1943 

